Newsies: Now And Forever
by RosieRed
Summary: *Chapter Two Up ^_^* Newsies Meets Cats... Our beloved newsboys are auditioning for Cats, but how many of them will stay when the director, Mr. Pulitzer, lowers their pay?
1. Act 1, Scene 1: I Have To Get This Show

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Title: Newsboys – Now and Forever

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Chapter: Act 1 – When Newsies Are Maddened By The Midnight Dance, Scene 1 – I Have To Get This Show

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Rating: PG 13 to be safe

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Disclaimer: Disney owns Newsies, Andrew Lloyd Webber owns Cats as well as T.S. Elliot. And excepting Carrot, everyone else owns their own characters. You know who you are.

** * **

David Jacobs nervously looked at the horde of people in the mirrored room. His sister, Sarah, pinned a number to her shirt and handed her brother his number and pin. A group of boys his age were in a large clump, chatting as if they all already knew each other. They talked and laughed so easily together. David and Sarah could only watch the other dancers warm up and feel set apart.

"You should probably start stretching, too, Davey." Sarah pulled a pair of boys' black dance sneakers out of their bag. The auditions for male roles were taking place earlier than the girls' auditions, but Sarah came with Davey for moral support. She felt a little out of place being the only girl there, aside from the dance instructor. Davey gave her a quick hug.

"Thanks for coming, Sar. You could have waited, you know." Davey cast another wary glance at the group of guys. "I guess we'll see if I'm talented enough to make it in."

"Of course you are, Davey! You were the best male dancer at our school. And you're trying for a secondary role, not a lead part." Sarah smiled. She knew David didn't like being the star of any performance. He was going to try for Alonzo, a black-and-white patterned tomcat that was portrayed as protective and mature. It was a good character for Davey, who was always worried about his sister and his younger brother, Les.

"But you know that Alonzo's actor always plays the Rumpus Cat..." David started his stretching routine and groaned. "I'm sore. All that practicing..." Sarah grinned. She was always smiling foolishly, but David still loved her.

"Okay, guys, listen up!" The dance teacher, standing at the front of the room and wearing naught but a leotard and tights, clapped to get everyone's attention. "We're going to head through a couple of the routines. Dancers I like, stay. Dancers I don't like, you're going to disappear and never come back. Just kidding. You can come watch us opening night." A few of the boys rolled their eyes.

"Good luck, Davey, I just _know_ you'll make it in." Sarah sat down in a folding chair by an unmirrored wall. David joined the group of hopeful boys as a pianist pounded out a rhythmic tune. They all just danced. Some didn't seem to realize they were being watched and changed the steps around. Some followed the routines exactly. David needed this audition to go well. His family was going through a few financial troubles and, though he and Sarah loved to dance, getting a job doing it was the only way they could continue.

** * **

Anthony leaned against a wall, breathing heavily. He hadn't been prepared for the workout he had gotten from just auditioning. He'd have to get in better shape if he made it. And stop smoking those foul cigarettes. A pack was hidden under some spare clothes in his dance bag, but he resisted them. Anthony studied the small group that was being picked over and then accidentally locked eyes with a guy he had seen at other auditions, noticeable because of his worn red bandana around his neck. Bandana Boy began to stroll over. 

"What part are you trying for?" he asked, and Anthony glanced at him, then pretended to be very interested in switching his shoes.

"Background, anything background." Anthony grinned to himself. "I don't need my time filled with rehearsals. I'd rather be with the horses." Bandana Boy grinned, one of those show-all-your-teeth grins that's accompanied by a slight laugh.

"I'm Jack Kelley. I'm looking to be somebody like the stripy tabby. Monkey-something." Another young man clapped Jack on the shoulder.

"Munkustrap, Cowboy! Geez! Can't even remember your own name." Anthony peered at the newcomer. He was blond and another frequent audition-goer. Anthony had remembered his features, mostly because of a scar that ran across his left eye. "I'm Louis Ballatt. Just call me Blink, though. Childhood nickname was Kid Blink and, well... it sort of stuck."

"Anthony Higgins. You all have nicknames? Seems bad enough that we could be called by a kitty name." He looked at his watch. "Aw, shit," he mumbled to himself. "I'm going to miss the first set of races and my horse is running. This audition isn't even half over..." Jack, nosy, strained to catch what Anthony was saying.

"Horse racing, huh?" Jack smirked. "Little Racetrack. You like that name, Blink? Racetrack for our new friend?" Blink grinned and nodded. Anthony – "Racetrack" – rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, thanks, guys. Good thing I'm easy-going. How do you know each other?" Racetrack finished tying the laces of his dance sneakers. Jack and Blink shared a quick look between them.

"Same dance classes," Blink explained. "With a lot of the guys here, actually. A boys' dance school. They sent us all together to audition, they always do." The first group of boys finished their dancing and trickled to the back walls to grab their water bottles. Quite a few came and circled around Jack.

"Boys, this is Racetrack. Race, this is the group from Snyder's Boys' Dance School. What a prison." Shouts of agreement and laughter rang out, and Jack began to point out specific boys. "Tall one in the pink jacket is Skittery, the glowering short one is Spot. The one talking to Blink is Mush. The ones dancing in our audition group are Crutchy (he gets hurt a lot), Snitch, and Jake."

"What, did you run out of nicknames?" Racetrack raised an eyebrow, an amused grin on his face. Jake blushed and looked at the ground.

"Nah, Jake's not interesting enough to earn a nick," Spot said, punching Jake on the arm playfully.

"Excuse me, boys." The dance leader, Andrea Lawrence, appeared behind Skittery and Crutchy. "I'm _so_ sorry to break up the discussion group, but, since you haven't noticed, I came to tell you that Group 2 is supposed to be on the floor, dancing." She paused meaningfully and gave them a stern glare before growling, "Right now." Jack pretended to cower and slunk past Andrea. He stopped to make faces behind her back. "And, Number 25, don't think I don't have eyes in the back of my head." Jack stopped abruptly.

"Hope I don't lose points for that, Teach. 'Cause you just _know_ I didn't mean it."

** * **

As "Group 1" finished with their singing auditions, Group 2 was just ending their jazz routine. Jack looked pleased with himself; he was dancing quite well. Racetrack had screwed up once or twice, but was almost certain to get at least a background part. Snitch tried to concentrate on his own dancing, but it was becoming difficult. Everyone around had such good style. How could he make it in? Snitch glanced at Crutchy's feet to try and remember the next step.

"Crutchy," he hissed, trying not to attract unwanted attention from Andrea. "Crutchy, your shoe's untied." Crutchy turned, startled. He misplaced his foot and tripped over his shoelace. Everyone around them jumped at the sickening "crunch" Crutchy's leg produced as he slammed into the ground.

"What's going on?" Andrea pushed through the dancers crowded around the moaning Crutchy. She knelt and examined Crutchy's leg quickly. "I think it's broken. You," she pointed at Jake, "Drive him to the doctor. It isn't so bad that he needs an ambulance." Jake resisted the urge to reply, "Yes, ma'am!" He helped Crutchy up and, with another boy's help, carried him out of the studio.

Snitch stared after them, shocked. His stomach lurched and he tried to swallow the guilt that was taking him over. It had been his fault Crutchy had fallen. Why did he have to distract him? Jack, sensing Snitch's discomfort, put a hand on his shoulder.

"I saw what happened. Don't feel bad. He was bound to trip over the lace sooner or later. You know Crutchy's a klutz. Don't let it cost you the audition." Jack gave Snitch's shoulder a small squeeze and Andrea declared Group 2's dancing over.

"Head into the choir room, it's the door on your right." She glanced at the door and considered it for a moment. "My right." The boys, still rather shocked into silence over Crutchy's accident, began to file quietly into the choir room. They stopped as another door in the dance room opened and a loud, giggly bunch of girls strolled in. Andrea glared. The guys leered. The girls... giggled.

Andrea pushed the last of the boys out of the dance room and shut the door behind them. She motioned to the girls to begin warming up.

** * **

"You're from New York Ballet." Misprint remarked, making it a statement rather than a question. The female auditioners had spread themselves out over the dance floor, all trying to make polite conversation with one another. The girl Misprint had directed her comment at finished putting her dark brown hair into a ponytail and took a stray hairpin out of her mouth to speak.

"How did you know?" Misprint pointed to the girl's tank top.

"It says so on your shirt. I'm Faith McAlester, but everyone calls me by my nickname, Misprint." She ran a hand through her short, black hair and then offered it for the other girl to shake.

"Polecat, but if you want to get technical, my name is Maggie Williams." Polecat shook Misprint's hand. "You haven't seen a little sheet of paper that has the number 41 on it, have you? I just set it down and it disappeared..." One of the dancers sitting behind her leaned over and held out a white square of paper.

"Is this it?" She waved it around. "I sat on it. I was wondering whose it was." Polecat took the paper gratefully. "I'm Lute." Lute gave them a friendly smile and adjusted the collar on her jacket, a lettered one from her high school band days.

"Polecat."

"Misprint. You two know anything about the guys here? Are most of them gay or not?" Lute and Polecat shrugged.

"I hope not," Lute said. "After all, most characters in this play do a lot of partner work. And I really want to be Rumpleteazer. Hope Mungojerrie's cute."

"Number 37, no jewelry allowed. Take that necklace off." Lute looked up, startled, to see Andrea looming over her. She mumbled an apology and took it off, shoving it into her bag. Andrea nodded sternly, managing to glance at her watch. "I'm starting now. Get up."

** * **

By the time each dancer felt like they were certain not to get a role, Andrea, the choir teacher, and the director, Mr. Pulitzer, went into a back office to decide who would be called back and who wouldn't. The guys and girls segregated themselves to different sides of the room, all wondering, nervously, would they be able to pay for food next month with their new check from Cats?

A fiercely redheaded girl pretended to collapse into the big circle of girls packing their dance bags, landing on her black-haired friend, who emitted an "oomph."

"Think they worked us hard enough, Cainell? I'm going to die tomorrow."

"I've seen you run around screaming for hours and not even break a sweat. Stop faking it, Carrot." Cainell pushed the redhead off her lap and into Lute. "Sorry!"

"It's okay. She's small, it didn't hurt."

"We're all small, we're dancers." Misprint stood up and slung her bag over her shoulder. "Look at us! None of us will ever be over five and a half feet." Mis peered at Cainell. "Except maybe you."

"I may be the tallest one here, but I'm an inch off from five and a half feet." Cainell looked around. "Yeah, tallest one here..." Another girl who had introduced herself earlier as "Mondie" looked over at the group of young men. Half of the girls followed her wistful gaze.

"So which of them do you think won't be interested in any of us?" Polecat asked, inspecting them. "One of us should go ask," she said, jokingly.

"I will." Carrot jumped up and Cainell tried to grab the cuff of her friend's windbreakers to hold her back. She almost got it, but Carrot maneuvered her way out of Cainell's grip, causing her to fall on her face. With every pair of female eyes on her, Carrot reached the boys' circle.

"Yeah, uh, what do you want?" Jack said, trying not to be rude. Carrot grinned and addressed the whole group.

"If you're gay, raise your hand." A couple hands went up timidly. Carrot turned back and looked at the girls, who were dead silent. She spun back to the boys. "If you're bisexual, raise your hand." Half the boys raised their hand. "Thank you." She sauntered back to the girls, smirking, with the boys staring after her silently.

It became very loud very quickly. People were practically shouting, "I didn't know you were gay!" and "I can't believe you just did that!", depending on which side they were on. 

** * **

It took a week before callback auditions, and Snitch nervously counted how many people had been called back. Still more dancers than parts. Still a chance he wouldn't get it. When Andrea finally came out with a clipboard, he crossed his fingers. "For the part of..." She paused climactically, causing everyone to groan and complain. "Fine, I'll go quickly. For the part of Admetus, it'll be Percival Edwards." One of the boys hid his face at the name as the others started laughing. Andrea gave them one of her more tolerant glares and continued, "For Alonzo, who also plays Rumpus Cat, it'll be David Jacobs."

"Good job, Davey!" To his embarrassment, David was engulfed in a big hug from his sister.

"For Asparagus, it'll be Sven Schuyler." The blond with glasses grinned as another bespectacled boy congratulated him. "Bustopher Jones is returning from the old cast, so, for Coricopat, Tristan Branxton."

"Alright!" Skittery grinned and stuck his hands in the pockets of his pink jacket.

"And, let's see, Growltiger/Gus is returning from the old cast, Macavity and Plato will be played by Oscar Delancey." Nobody turned around to congratulate the bitter-faced man in the back. "Mistoffelees will be played by Peter Conlon."

"It's 'cause I'm small, isn't it? Aw, man."

"No, it's because you're a very good dancer... and because you're small." Peter, or "Spot," began to protest and Andrea glared. "For Mungojerrie, we cast Daniel Riccio."

"Hey, Snitch, you got the klepto role!" Blink laughed and Snitch tried not to collapse into relieved giggles. His part was a big one! He couldn't believe it.

"Pouncival will be played by Dex Meyers." Mush beamed. "The Rum Tum Tugger is going to be Anthony Higgins." Racetrack blinked. He hadn't wanted such a prominent role. Rum Tum Tugger was one of the characters with the most singing solos. Jack grinned at Race.

"Not exactly a background character, but you can't complain. He's one of the best roles."

"And you, who needs to learn to keep his mouth shut or else I'm going to cut you from every rehearsal and put you onstage with no practice at all so people can laugh at you, you're Munkustrap." Jack opened his mouth to cheer, but shut it quickly and looked at Andrea innocently. "And Tumblebrutus will be Louis Ballatt. Except for Skimbleshanks, who is also returning from the old cast, that's it for the boys. Go home, boys. First rehearsal is next Monday, here, at seven in the morning. And, yes, I _am _a morning person and will sound disgustingly cheerful and make you hate me."

"I can't believe you got a part and I didn't, Dutchy."

"Oh, man, oh, man. Main role... this bites." 

"Yes! I can't believe I got a main role!"

"Hey, Blink, we're both kittens!"

"I got the part because I'm SHORT!?"

"For our female roles, Bombalurina will be played by Bridie O'Keegan." Carrot pumped a fist into the air.

"Alright! Redhead gets the red cat!" Carrot cheered and Cainell rolled her eyes.

"The role of Cassandra is given to Heather Watson." Heather grinned, that was the role she had wanted. "Demeter is Cainell Mazer." Cainell ducked as Carrot tried to hug her.

"But she's four inches shorter than I am! Isn't Bombalurina supposed to be taller than Demeter?"

"Are you complaining? I'm hearing things. You're complaining at ME? Because I don't care. Electra will be played by Faith McAlester."

"Woohoo, I get to be a, um... isn't she a kitten? Woohoo, I'm a kitten." Misprint grinned. "Meow."

"Etcetera will be played by... Shortie?" Andrea raised an eyebrow. "Do you have a real name, Shortie?" Shortie grinned.

"Nope."

"Grizabella will have to be brought in from another cast, but we have an idea of who we want. Griddlebone will be played by a returning cast member, but Jellylorum will be played by Margaret Williams." Polecat smiled, pleased. Having the part of Jellylorum meant they thought she had a good singing voice. "Jennyanydots will be played by Sarah Jacobs." Sarah grinned, foolishly, and laughed slightly.

"Aren't you proud of me, Davey?" He nodded, trying not to roll his eyes.

"Rumpleteazer will be played by Lute McDonaghey." Andrea looked up from the paper. "You might want to work on the double cartwheel outside of rehearsal with Mungojerrie. Er, I mean," Andrea checked the paper, "Daniel Riccio." Lute nodded and Polecat smiled at her.

"We both got the parts we wanted. Good job."

"You too," Lute said. "I won't have to bum money off my dad anymore, hoorah for jobs."

"Jemima will be played by Amanda..." Mondie inwardly patted herself on the back. "Tantomile will be played by Maura Fulton." 

"WHAT?" A girl with long black hair and a pierced eyebrow was lodging the protest.

"And no one here is good enough for Victoria, so I'm going to have to bring in somebody from another dance company."

"I'm not playing the mystic cat! I want a better part!" Andrea pointedly ignored her.

"You heard what I told the boys. Go home. Come back at seven next Monday. See you then."

"I WANT A CASTING CHANGE!"

"We rock, Cainell!"

"You're weird, Carrot."

"Since we're both kittens, Polecat, we should go tom-kitten hunting together." 

"Who's Daniel Riccio, anyway?"

** * **

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Author's Note: Okay... even though Keza told me it would be okay, like, five times... am still very worried about screwing up characters. Any big boo-boos, please tell me. I can't believe I just said boo-boos. Also, some characters won't be introduced until next chapter, so just hold up, okies? Teehee.

I *heart* Cats and Newsies. Good way to bring them together, hm?


	2. Act 1, Scene 2: Ev'rybody Wants To Be A ...

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Title: Newsboys – Now and Forever

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Chapter: Act 1 – When Newsies Are Maddened By The Midnight Dance, Scene 2 – Ev'rybody Wants To Be A Cat

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Rating: PG 13 to be safe

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Disclaimer: Disney owns Newsies, Andrew Lloyd Webber owns Cats, and so does T.S. Elliot. And excepting Carrot, everyone else owns their own characters. You know who you are.

** * **

Monday morning, at 7:00 AM, is not a good time for anybody. Anybody, that is, except Andrea, who cheerfully barked orders at everyone. She stood in the middle of the room and cleared her throat loudly.

"Ahem." The dancers looked up from whatever they were doing. "I'm sure there are some of you who aren't as familiar with _Cats_ as some of the others. So we're going to do a read-through. No singing, no dancing, we're just going to read through the songs." Andrea passed out scripts and highlighters. "Highlight your parts. I'm not going to do it for you. And, so I can learn your names, when you first speak, please say your name and character."

"_Are you blind when you're born?_" Jack began. He made a big blue line across his paper. He looked up. "Jack Kelly, Munkustrap."

"Oh, it's me now. Cainell Mazer, Demeter." Cainell glanced at her paper. "_Can you see in the dark?_" A tall, older man wearing an ugly bowtie who hadn't been at auditions took his turn.

"_Dare you look at a king?_ Bryan Denton, Skimbleshanks. I'm returning from the old cast."

"_Would you sit on his throne...?_ Asparagus, and my name's Dutchy Schuyler." The blond grinned. "Pet name." He coughed and blushed. "Well, nickname."

"Anthony – Racetrack, as most of the boys call me now – Higgins," Racetrack glanced at Jack, who was grinning like a, well, cheshire cat. "Rum Tum Tugger. _Can you say of your bite that it's worse than your bark?_" Curly-headed David Jacobs spoke up.

"David Jacobs, I play Alonzo. _Are you cock of the walk...?_" A few of the more immature guys snickered. Sarah rolled her eyes.

"It's just a song line, don't listen to them, Davey." The boys laughed harder.

"Don't listen to us, _Davey_," Spot said in a falsetto voice. "It's just the song, after all." David's cheeks burned. Luckily, Andrea came to his rescue and changed the subject.

"The next line is sung by a chorus cat, probably Admetus. Go ahead, Admetus."

"_When you're walking alone...?_" The boy scratched his head and mumbled something that sounded like "Admetus, and I'm P.E."

"P.E.? Is that your _name_?" Ruin snickered.

"Maybe it stands for Physical Education," Polecat ventured.

"Or Pink Elbow," Lute added.

"It could be Pie Eater," Shortie grinned. "P.E." brightened.

"I like pie..." Needless to say, he was Pie Eater from then on. Andrea motioned for everyone to continue.

"Everyone say these next lines, together. Well, try to say them together."

"_Because Jellicles are and Jellicles do, Jellicles do and Jellicles would. Jellicles would and Jellicles can, Jellicles can and Jellicles do_."

"I'm Polecat, as most of you know anyway. I play Jellylorum. _When you fall on your head, do you land on your feet?_"

"Um, I'm Skittery Branxton, or the 'boy in the pink jacket.' I play Coricopat. _Are you tense when you sense there's a storm in the air?_"

"Hey, I remember you," Carrot said, "You raised your hand when I asked..." Cainell put a hand over Carrot's mouth and grinned sheepishly. Skittery shrugged.

"I'm not ashamed of it," he said casually. Cainell yelped and Carrot smirked.

"She bit me!"

"_Can you find your way blind when you're lost in the street?_" The dark blue-eyed girl smiled. "I'm Mondie... I play Jemima."

"I'm Mr. Wiesel." A pudgy middle-aged man sat down by Bryan Denton. "I'm also Old Deuteronomy and Bustopher Jones. _Do you know how to go to the Heaviside Layer?_"

"Does anyone else feel like they're at an AA meeting...?" Lute mumbled. "Can we skip the chorus parts that say we're Jellicle cats?" Andrea nodded.

"I'm not going to be Tantomile. I don't want to be Tantomile. I want to be somebody else. I refuse to say her line, because I'm not her. You all," Ruin glared around the room, "Can call me Ruin." Sarah and Dutchy, who were sitting on Ruin's right and left, scooted as far as they could to the opposite edges of their chairs. 

"As long as she's not saying her line," Sarah cast a wary glance at Ruin and continued, "I'm Sarah Jacobs, Davey's sister. _Familiar with candle_,"

"_With book and with bell?_" Misprint half-sang, ending the phrase. "Misprint, and I'm Electra. Meow."

"_Were you Whittington's friend?_" Carrot beamed at the group. "I'm Carrot O'Keegan, or Bombalurina."

"_The Pied Piper's assistant?_ I'm the short one," Spot paused to scowl. "Mr. Mistoffelees. And the boys call me Spot."

"Yeah, we do," laughed Kid Blink. "Kid Blink, so named for the scar on my eye, in case you were wondering. I'm Tumblebrutus. _Have you been an alumnus of Heaven and Hell?_" 

"_Are you mean like a minx?_" Snitch smiled in greeting. "Snitch Riccio, Mungojerrie."

"_Are you lean like a lynx?_ Lute McDonaghey, and Mungojerrie's partner in crime, Rumpleteazer." Lute looked Snitch over, pleased.

"_Are you keen to be seen when you're smelling a rat?_ I'm Shortie of the no-other-name." Shortie gave a silly grin and a few people who remembered laughed. "I play Etcetera."

"I'm Heather Watson," Heather smiled at group, her eyes pausing on Jack momentarily. "I play Cassandra. _Were you there when the pharaohs commissioned the sphinx?"_

"_If you were and you are you're a Jellicle cat!_" Mush and Snitch sang out. The others who knew the tune joined in, "_Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats..._" The line repeated four more times and then everyone belted out with, "_We can dive through the air, like a flying trapeze. We can turn double somersaults, bounce on a tire. We can run up a wall, we can swing through the trees. We can balance on bars, we can walk on a wire._" More "Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats" and the girls chirped their solo.

"_Can you sing at the same time, in more than one key? Duets by Rossini..."_

The boys grinned. "_And waltzes by Strauss?"_ Skittery pretended to be waltzing as the girls "aah-ed" a five-note waltz-like melody. "_And can you, as cats do, begin with a 'C'?_" Misprint cheerfully broke everyone's eardrums with a perfect high 'C' note.

"_That always triumphantly brings down the house? Jellicle cats are queens of the night," _everyone sang, except Racetrack, who, instead, sang "Jellicle cats are kings of New York."

"_Singing at astronomical heights. Handling pieces from the Messiah, hallelujah, angelical choir. The mystical divinity of unashamed felinity... 'Round the cathedral, rang 'Vivat!' Life to the Everlasting Cat!"_

"The Everlasting Cat is like a Kitty-Jesus," Spot quipped. Cainell giggled.

"More like a Cat-_God_."

"Anyway, if we continue, there's more 'Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats,'" Andrea made a face, "And then a listing of different kind of cats. It's all very boring. Asparagus, can you go on after all that?" Dutchy nodded.

"_There's a man over there, with a look of surprise. Well, as much as to say, now how about that?"_

"_Do I actually see, with my own very eyes, a man who's not heard of a Jellicle cat? What's a Jellicle cat...?!"_

"Well, _I_ don't know what a Jellicle cat is," Skittery grumbled. A couple other people shrugged their shoulders and those who did know looked amused.

"Don't worry, it's explained in the next song," Sarah said, matter-of-factly, causing a bunch of people to roll their eyes.

"There's _more_?" Skittery said incredulously.

** * **

After Andrea had run them through the first act, she had all the dancers move the chairs out of the middle of the room.

"Finally, some dancing!" Mush wanted to cheer. He waited for dance movements, or _something_, but, instead, Andrea rolled out a television and VCR. She popped in a video and turned to the confused dancers.

"Yes, we're going to watch a movie," Andrea leaned on the TV. "To learn motions."

"Not the 'All About Cats' movie _again_..." One of the returning dancers, a young man, groaned. "We've all seen it about five times."

"Sorry, Oscar, that you're unhappy. None of the new kids have seen it." The other speaker was the middle-aged man with the ugly bowtie, Bryan Denton. Andrea put her hands on her hips.

"It doesn't matter if any of you are unhappy, it's time to get on all fours and act like a cat." A couple people looked around, trying to figure out what she meant.

"On the GROUND?"

"On all FOURS?"

"Like a CAT?" Pie Eater paused, "Wait, that part makes sense."

"Yes, yes, and yes. While we watch the movie, I'm going to do different things, such as ring a bell. Your task is to react as a cat would, and keep the character of a cat." Andrea turned to the (bored) returning dancers. "You guys should probably take part in this. Don't even start to complain, because I've noticed your Macavity is getting too human, Oscar." The man scowled and sat on the floor with the others.

Chuckling to themselves, a few of the guys started meowing at each other. Carrot began to play-fight with Cainell, who hissed and giggled at the same time. Mondie stretched out on the floor lazily, pretending to catnap. Andrea pushed play on the video and people began to mimic all the cute, kittenish things on screen. Oscar rolled his eyes as Blink tried to cough up a hairball. Soon, everyone one was being a social kitten, interacting with those they'd never met before and all having a good time. That is, except for Oscar, who was still scowling, and Ruin, who looked like she might kill someone.

Suddenly, Andrea dropped a heavy book on the floor. Mush turned a somersault and hissed. Lute and Snitch, staying true to their thieving characters, looked around shiftily and sneaked off quickly, as if escaping after setting off a burglar alarm. Jack idly rolled over and shot a very cat-like glare at Andrea, while Carrot yowled and jumped into a very surprised Dutchy's lap.

"That was fairly okay... a few more minutes of being four-legged, and you guys can break for lunch." Andrea glowered at Ruin. "Why aren't you being a cat?"

"I told you, I want you to change my part." Ruin glowered right back. "Give it to someone else and give me a better one." Andrea crossed her arms.

"You fit the part of Tantomile in body shape and abilities. Just because you don't like it doesn't mean I care." The two began a glaring contest, which lasted until Spot finally declared a lunch break. 

** * **

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Author's Note: Heh. Abrupt ending, no? Planned on having "lunch" in this chapter, but I really just wanted to post something, as I haven't posted anything in, um, a really long time. So next chapter will have that in there. ^_^

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Shout-outs ^_^:

Lovey: Haha, love to the anti-Sarahs out there... and don't let on who you're crushing on, the person who has claimed them might kill you! (Ah, no, she won't.)

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Shortie: Man, how long ago was my last chapter for you to have had that nose...? *runs around to the superhero music triumphantly*

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Stacilee: Thanks for doing the IM beta thing. ^_^ *snuggle* Love to the Snitchy-ness and everything. More rp(ness), okies?

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Cainell: *licks Life-sized Chocolate Dutchy* Mmm, thanks. He's perfect. ^_^ You knew I had to get rid of Crutchy _somehow_!

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Deejay Supastar/Polecat: (Not sure which one to call you... *runs around, confused, and falls overs*) I like that part, too... it kind of needed to be done, teehee. Too many sexy gay dancers! (Ah, well, slash opportunities!)

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Omni: Okay, she'll probably come in next chapter. ^_^ Thanks for getting me the profile... ah, thanks came a little late, but I think I thanked you before, anyway.

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Mondie: O.o No, I think Rosacamora is your first nick for me. And I love that you love Cats, although it seems to have diminished since your love for Aaron increased by about a thousand-fold. Admetus is in the movie/DVD, he's got a cute little face... um... he's the one who stands behind Bustopher Jones and makes faces, he also plays the Rumpus Cat in the movie.

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Misprint: Uber love to Skittery's jacket. Didn't make you wait too long for this chapter? I'm sure I did. ^_^ Took me a while, and it's so short... *apologizes*

So anyway, hopefully next chapter will have plot... but... um, seriously doubting that right now.


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